CONEYGREE will not run before the Timico Cheltenham Gold Cup with the nine-year-old set to be given extra time to get over his comeback second in last month's Betfair Chase.

Owned by The Max Partnership, Coneygree was forced to miss the King George VI Chase on Monday after failing to show his usual sparkle in a pre-race gallop and has since been found to have jarred himself up.

Sara Bradstock, wife of trainer Mark Bradstock, said: "He'll go straight to Cheltenham. He's a bit jarred but he should be fine but as always we won't rush him. We'll give him plenty of time to get over it."

While regaining the Cheltenham Gold Cup, which he won under jockey Nico de Boinville in 2015, is the priority for Coneygree, Bradstock added he would not be pushed to make the festival.

"He's already won a Gold Cup and if he's not right and we have to go to Aintree or Punchestown instead then that's what's right for him," she said. "Having said that, I'm sure he'll get to Cheltenham.

"We'll take our time and we know every bit of him and we know when he's right. We just want to get there in perfect shape."

Coneygree was pushed out to as big as 14-1 on Thursday morning for the Cheltenham Gold Cup. King George winner Thistlecrack is the general 5-4 favourite.